Heat Wave
by suzie2b
Summary: Too much sun. Not enough water.


**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **Heat Wave**

 **By Suzie2b**

 **Sometimes it's hard to think in the heat. Even harder when you have a headache. Tully blinked into the midday sun's glare that made the desert shimmer and dance like the water in the pond back home. He rubbed his temples and used his sleeve to wipe the sweat out of eyes as he squinted at the horizon.**

 **##################**

 **Hitch came out of the cave and Troy asked, "How many charges did you set?"**

 **The private set down the roll of detonator cord and said, "Three. That should be enough to bring down the hill and destroy the supplies inside."**

 **Troy nodded his approval. "Good work. Moffitt and I will finish up. Go get Tully and get the jeeps ready. I want to make a quick exit once the explosives go off."**

 **Hitch jogged up to where Tully was standing watch. "We're almost ready to blow the ammo dump. We need to get to the jeeps."**

 **Tully put his hands on the small of his back and tried to stretch with a soft groan.**

 **Hitch looked at him a bit concerned. "You okay?"**

 **Tully sighed. "My back's cramped up. Must be from that fight I had with that German guard yesterday."**

 **They moved the jeeps out from cover and waited. Tully took some aspirin with half a canteen of water and watched Moffitt affix the detonator cord to the detonator. He finished off the canteen and wiped sweat off his face as he wondered for a moment why he was so thirsty.**

 **Troy pushed the plunger. The first explosion was somewhat muffled within the cave, but then the ammunition inside began to ignite and the top of the hill blew off like a volcano erupting. As the Rat Patrol drove away from the site, more explosions were heard, but they didn't stop to admire their handiwork.**

 **Some forty kilometers away the jeeps rolled into a waterhole. As they got out, Troy said, "We deserve a break."**

 **Tully rubbed the back of his thigh as he limped around. Moffitt watched him for several seconds, then asked, "Having a problem, Tully?"**

 **He wiped his sweaty face with his shirt sleeve. "Don't know. First my back cramped up now it's my leg."**

 **Moffitt looked him over as if seeing him for the first time that day. Tully's shirt was soaked with sweat and he was pale. "How long have you been sweating like this?"**

 **Tully shrugged. "I guess it started when I was on watch back at that ammo dump."**

 **Moffitt started around the jeep. "Any headache, nausea, lightheadedness?"**

" **I do have a headache. I took a couple of aspirin before the cave blew up, but they aren't really helping." A sudden stomach cramp nearly doubled Tully over. "What the heck's happening, sarge?"**

 **Moffitt put his hand on Tully's forehead. "You're burning up." He took him by the arm. "Come on. Let's get you into the shade."**

 **Troy immediately took note of what was going on and followed the two to a shady spot. "What's going on?"**

 **Moffitt helped Tully ease himself down on the ground. "Looks like a case of heat exhaustion."**

 **Troy turned and hollered, "Hitch, bring a full canteen and a med kit!"**

 **Hitch hurried over with the requested items and looked at his pale, sweaty friend sitting on the ground. "What happened?"**

 **Moffitt took the canteen. "Heat exhaustion."**

 **Troy got the small bottle of salt tables out of the med kit and shook two of them into his hand. He handed them off to Moffitt, who had the canteen open. "Dissolve these and let him drink some."**

 **Moffitt nodded, knowing the treatment, as he dropped the tablets into the water and tightened the cap to shake the canteen.**

 **Cramps forced Tully to lay down with a groan. "Headache's worse."**

 **Moffitt knelt and helped Tully take in some of the salty water. "Just a couple of sips. We'll see if it stays down." Gently putting Tully's head down, Moffitt said, "The well water will be cool. Get a bucket and some rags for compresses. We need to cool him off."**

 **Hitch nodded. "I'm on it."**

 **Tully rolled onto his side and curled into a ball as Troy said, "I'll get a blanket for him to lay on."**

 **Moffitt gave a nod, then turned his attention back to Tully. He gently pulled the private up to a sitting position. "Let's get your shirt off."**

 **Soon Moffitt was bathing Tully's face and torso with cool water in an effort to get his temperature down. They had elevated his feet and tried to make him as comfortable as possible. However, the salt water wasn't staying down, which only aggravated his symptoms. Tully groaned with every muscle spasm and cramp. Troy and Hitch did their best to keep him from curling himself up.**

 **A half hour passed and Tully was showing no signs of improvement. Moffitt finally admitted, "This isn't working. We need to get him to a doctor."**

 **Troy nodded. "See where the nearest field hospital is."**

 **##################**

 **At the hospital Tully was immediately hooked up to IV fluids. He was undressed and covered with a damp sheet with a fan blowing across his body.**

 **It took some time, but finally Tully's temperature began to drop. When it was taken upon his arrival it was 105.4. After about an hour of intense treatment, he had cooled to 103.9. The cramps and spasms had started to calm with the IV fluid intake. Only when Tully was resting comfortably enough to doze off did Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch relax and leave medical.**

 **Twenty-four hours later, after he proved he could keep food and water down, the doctor allowed Tully to leave the hospital. "Your temperature is still a little elevated, but I think you'll rest better in a quieter place. Over the next four days you are to rest, drink plenty of water—no alcohol or caffeine—and stay out of the sun." He handed Tully a thermometer. "If your temperature gets to 102, get yourself back here. And I want to see you before you head back to your base. Got it?"**

 **Tully nodded and slipped the thermometer into his shirt pocket. "Thanks, doc."**

 **Moffitt removed the thermometer from the pocket as he said, "Don't worry, we'll see to it he behaves himself."**

 **As they walked to the tent the four of them had been assigned to, Tully said quietly, "I'm careful about drinking enough water. What happened?"**

 **Moffitt replied, "Hard to say. We'd been pretty busy for several days. None of us were getting enough rest and were neglecting ourselves a bit because of it. You probably didn't realize you weren't taking in enough water." He smiled. "But we're going to stay here for the next four days. So we can all catch up on what we need."**

 **##################**

 **Over the next four days Troy, Moffitt, Hitch, and Tully made sure they all got plenty of rest, water, and food. Moffitt insisted on taking Tully's temperature three times a day, even after it was reading normal.**

 **On the evening of the fourth day Tully was lying on his cot when Moffitt walked over and took the thermometer out of his mouth. Tully sighed and said, "Still normal, isn't it?"**

 **Moffitt smiled. "Yep."**

" **Then we can leave tomorrow?"**

 **Troy said, "That's up to the doctor. You have to see him before we go."**

 **Hitch eyed his friend. "How are you feeling?"**

 **Tully admitted, "Still a little run down, but good enough to get out of here. I'm starting to get bored."**

 **On the morning of the fifth day, Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch stood by and watched as the doctor checked Tully over. Finally the doctor said, "Okay, I'm going to let you go. But, it's a long day's ride to Ras Tanura from here. No driving and take frequent breaks where you can rest out of the sun. Keep up on your fluids and report to medical when you get there. I'm going to suggest you take it easy for another four or five days before you go back to your regular duties." He smiled at Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch. "I'm counting on you three to keep an eye on him."**

 **Troy grinned. "We always do."**


End file.
